After last year's flooding devastated the dairy equipment at Jimmy Kleister's family farm, they had to sell all of the milk-producing cows. Kleister, struggling to save his family's Udderly Fresh Farm, has since raised young cows and restored the equipment. He remains hopeful about the raw-milk market.

Washingtonville farm fighting to stay open

By BY JOHN SULLIVAN

Times Herald-Record

October 27, 2012 - 2:00 AM

WASHINGTONVILLE — One of the surprises of driving along Route 94 just east of Washingtonville is seeing rows of suburban homes suddenly give way to an expansive farm, where clusters of cows punctuate undulating fields of alfalfa, timothy and orchard grass.

Jimmy Kleister is only 26, but his family has been operating this dairy farm since the 1930s, and it has become his obsession to ensure that the farm keeps going. The struggle to save Kleister's Udderly Fresh Farm is also one with deep connections to his community, as it is the last operating farm in the village.

"I don't farm to make $1 million," Kleister said. "I farm to carry on the family name and the tradition."

Struggling to rebuild

That mission has become harder than ever since Hurricane Irene last year destroyed all of the dairy equipment and wiped out a year's supply of hay. Now, Kleister finds himself in a struggle to keep Washingtonville's last remaining farm open, just as yet another historic storm threatens to shut it for good.

"Another flood like that (Irene) will be the nail in the coffin," the farmer said.

The Kleister family story illustrates the risks farmers everywhere face in a climate changed world.

Suddenly trapped by rising waters inside their barn last year, Kleister and his brother made a daring rescue of their mother, ferrying her on a rowboat that Jimmy pulled and his brother pushed through a raging field of water.

Jimmy Kleister estimates the flood damage at a quarter of a million dollars, including all the dairy equipment. The result: the sale of the family's milk-producing cows. He has since raised young cows, restored the farm's equipment and resumed hay production.

For the last three weeks, he has been hosting hosting Saturday farm tours — there is one more Saturday — which has helped raise money as well as awareness about the farm's struggle to regain its footing. With some $1,800 in flood aid, $10,000 insurance money, and a possible $50,000 farm grant, he just might pull through, what with growing demand in the raw milk market.

Less than a week ago, he was hopeful. Now, he's just scared, he said.

With news of Hurricane Sandy and what is feared might be another "perfect storm" headed our way, Kleister has begun bracing for the worst.

"We're not taking any chances this time," he said. "Sunday morning, we'll be evacuating."

"I'm not a quitter," said the young businessman, who has managed the farm since he was in high school. —» but if I'm forced to shut it down, I will."